My ever coninuing questions thread...

[Bifferwine]

I wouldn't recommend using one unless you need one. Like if your fish are prone to disease. Not only does the UV sterilizer kill the bad stuff in the water, but it also kills the good stuff. I've never had to use one, and don't anticipate having to get one in the future.

 

[hotimportknight]

Ah alright. Ill just let it take its natural course and hopefully this algae will go away with the diminished light times and my new bigger better cleanup crew.

 

[hotimportknight]

Alright I've got a few questions about calcium and all that with these chemicals I'm starting to add. The other day I picked up some C-Balance 2 part buffer and calcium stuff. It says add a teaspoon per 20 gallons of each one in even parts, so I did that today, But my test 5 minutes ago is saying my calcium is down to 195, and it was 225 2 days ago. I added 2 teasepoons of each part A and B today and also added iodine yesterday (which is supposed to only be 2 drops once a week) I dont have an iodine test? If that exists but ill stick to 2 drops a week like it says. Why would my calcium be falling? I added some saltwater today because i want to work my salinity up to a normal level (where everone else keeps theirs, but the LFS guy is telling me to keep it at about 1.021 which was way low compared to foster and smiths water @ 1.0255. Would my clam have ate up that much calcium in 2 days? even after adding my new chemicals? Or is this instant ocean calcium test garbage? It was one of the more expensive ones, but the lady recommended it.

 

[hotimportknight]

I just tested a few parameters, my alkalinity is only at around 8 maybe 8.2, So i think I could add a little bit more of my 2 part chemical stuff, because from what I understand it will effect Calcium and DKH (thats alkalinity right?)
My nitrates are zero! Im not using strictly RO water and my tank already looks a lot more clear unless its a psychological placebo effect...

 

[yote]

Alright I've got a few questions about calcium and all that with these chemicals I'm starting to add. The other day I picked up some C-Balance 2 part buffer and calcium stuff. It says add a teaspoon per 20 gallons of each one in even parts, so I did that today, But my test 5 minutes ago is saying my calcium is down to 195, and it was 225 2 days ago. I added 2 teasepoons of each part A and B today and also added iodine yesterday (which is supposed to only be 2 drops once a week) I dont have an iodine test? If that exists but ill stick to 2 drops a week like it says. Why would my calcium be falling? I added some saltwater today because i want to work my salinity up to a normal level (where everone else keeps theirs, but the LFS guy is telling me to keep it at about 1.021 which was way low compared to foster and smiths water @ 1.0255. Would my clam have ate up that much calcium in 2 days? even after adding my new chemicals? Or is this instant ocean calcium test garbage? It was one of the more expensive ones, but the lady recommended it.

Thats why I threw the IO kit I bought in the trash the first time I used it.
No where near accurate.

 

[yote]

I just tested a few parameters, my alkalinity is only at around 8 maybe 8.2, So i think I could add a little bit more of my 2 part chemical stuff, because from what I understand it will effect Calcium and DKH (thats alkalinity right?)
My nitrates are zero! Im not using strictly RO water and my tank already looks a lot more clear unless its a psychological placebo effect...

Shoot for a DKH of 12 and you'll be good to go.Mines at 14DKH right now,but I just dosed with super buffer last night.

 

[hotimportknight]

Wait, how do you test for DKH again? I thought I had an alkalinity test in my reef master test kid I got, but I guess I was thinking ammonia... Ill have to go get one tomorrow asap!

 

[hotimportknight]

Right now I'm dealing with my pump/overflow issues that spring up RANDOMLY. It was balanced perfectely for the first few weeks after I got the overflow dialed in, now it cant even move enough water to keep ahead of my pump. So my ATO that I got set up and working great finally was pumping water as my pump filled my display. too much, got dang near to overflowing the display when i got home from work. So im finally putting my ball valve in the pump line...

 

[Bifferwine]

Check your overflow for algae build up and clogs.

 

[hotimportknight]

I cleaned it out yesterday cause I was having the same problem. I cut my pump tubing and stuck in the ball valve, but its got a SLOW leak, like 1 drip every 20 seconds. I got out the hot glue gun, I cant wait a day or 2 for silicone to dry right now or Ill have to have my sump off for that long... Im kinda thinking it was my ATO, when i went to put it back on there were airbubbles in the line, and i could see it was flowing slowly where i had it set before... stupid me... oh well the ball valve cant hurt once i get this dang drip fixed.. ill just leave it wide open unless I have the problem again.

 

[hotimportknight]

Dang thing, i cant stop the drip no matter how well i get a bead around that pcv... im already 3 hours late going to my friends house, so im sticking a big bucket under it for tonight, ill take it off tomorrow and break off that crappy glue and maybe use some PCV cement in the threads and then tighten it up and try to get a bead around it again...

 

[Piggy]

Have you tried epoxy? I used it for a leak and it worked like a charm.

 

[hotimportknight]

Do you have to wait days for it to dry? This is the only return line from my sump... I was gunna break the bead in a vise and try some teflon tape around it, but wasn't sure if thats aquarium safe?

 

[reeffreak]

Teflon tape is perfectly safe.I've always use it on thread fittings.

 

[hotimportknight]

Looks like thats my solution! It only dripped about a teaspoon since last night at 9:30.. so its not too bad, but im gunna go break off all that stupid hot glue and teflon tape this thing.

 

[hotimportknight]

Alright, is it normal for my leather coral I got to only open once every few days? Or is there something wrong with them? They arent in the highest flow, but their mucus crap does shed off of them, ive seen it a few times. I dosed Iodine and im starting to add calcium and other trace elements now. Also my kenya weed closed for about 3-4 days,just hunkered down and didnt open at all, and last night after the lights went out it opened up and is still open again. Today my leathers have their polyps open finally. I was getting worried about them. Is this normal or just because they probably dont have enough flow on them? They are attached to my pulsing xenia and they dont seem to like the faster flow. that one even de attached itself from the base it was on and and moved itself to the substrate.

 

[reeffreak]

Perfectly normal for leathers and kenyas to open and close.give them some time to adjust.Once adjusted the leather should shed less and kenya both will be more open.The leather likes lots of flow and the rest do better with lower flow.

Is there a need to dose so much?

 

[hotimportknight]

my calcium was only like 200ish so ive been dosing a little at a time. its recommended a tsp a day per 20 gallon, so ive been doing that.

 

[Piggy]

Have you tested your iodine? Some trace elements have it in it. I don't want you to OD your tank.

 

[hotimportknight]

Ive gotta find an iodine test kit. To be safe I only add 2 small drops a week. I prolly wont add any more until I get a tester of some sort. Right now my tank is dominated by inverts and soft corals, so they should enjoy the iodine. My xenias and stuff are going crazy. I think the frogspawn is growing too but its hard to tell, its definately splitting though, 2 very clear entities now when it closes up at night, it was only 1 just starting to split when I got it. What kind of calcium testers do you guys use if the instant ocean one sucks? The lady said it was one of the more expensive ones and easiest to use, but if its so inacurate what good is it??